A Method for Acquiring and Linking a Plurality of Fields from a Plurality of Data Sources into a Data Supply Chain of Linked Fields

1. A method for acquiring and linking a plurality of fields from a plurality of data sources into a data supply chain of linked fields, the data sources distributed on a plurality of originating servers and used by a plurality of users, the method comprising the steps of: accessing by one or more first users of the plurality of data sources on one or more originating servers, computer readable code from a server, wherein each user builds a configuration profile designating which data source and which fields within each data source on the one or more originating servers are to be linked into a data supply chain; accepting by the server the designated data source and fields; instructing the server by each first user to initiate actions upon attainment of trigger conditions established for the one or plurality of fields within the data sources designated by the configuration profile; assigning by the server one or a plurality of first users to a data supply chain and a research protocol; accumulating fields drawn from the one or more data sources into a database or a edataset; establishing by the server trigger conditions for actions to be performed upon the database, wherein the established trigger conditions are based upon threshold values assigned by the server; configuring actions by the server, wherein each configured action is determined by the one or more attained trigger conditions; observing the one or plurality of the fields linked into the data supply chain by the server, wherein the observing attains one or more of the established trigger conditions; initiating the actions based upon the one or more attained established trigger conditions; and outputting the actions by the server in an iterative loop until all the attained trigger conditions have been serviced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration profile built by said each user may be automated and propagated to other users.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the accumulation of fields to be posted into a dataset may include assignment of a value to the fields for calculating a price for access to the fields or actions upon the fields or assignment of additional trigger conditions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration profile may identify and configure collaborating users, specify fields to be shared with collaborators, and specify whether the actions of the server are reciprocal or one-way.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration profile may be static or dynamic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user may be assigned permissions to contribute to or access all or part of the data supply chain.